McGuffey Mall and Garland Plaza sell for $150K

Highway Contracting LLC of Boardman was the apparent successful bidder for McGuffey Mall and Garland Plaza on the city’s East Side at $150,000 in a three-day online auction on Auction.com.

The Boardman company, which is an excavating and demolition contractor, was the highest of three bidders, said Joe Bell, director of corporate communications for the Cafaro Co., seller of the property.

A woman who answered the phone at Highway Contracting said, “At this moment, we have no comment.”

Bell said Thursday he did not know the names of the other two bidders, but he said he expects the sale will be closed within 30 days.

“We wish the winning bidder the best of luck. We think it’s a great value, and we know that there’s great potential for them to develop something that’s useful for the community,” Bell said.

McGuffey Mall and Garland Plaza, at 795 and 761 N. Garland Ave., respectively, were for sale on the Irvine, Calif.-based Auction.com from Monday through Wednesday, with a $100,000 minimum bid.

McGuffey Mall, which was built as McGuffey Plaza in 1954, is empty, and the only occupant of the 1960- vintage Garland Plaza is K&P Sportswear.

McGuffey Plaza was one of the first developments of William M. Cafaro, founder of the Cafaro Co.

Mahoning County’s Department of Job and Family Services occupied rented quarters at Garland Plaza from 1988 until its 2007 move to Oakhill Renaissance Place, which the county bought in 2006 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Bell said earlier this month the East Side property was not a core property for the Cafaro Co., which is now focused primarily on enclosed shopping malls and large community outdoor shopping centers.